


Small Steps

by crescent_gaia



Series: Swords and Magic [2]
Category: Warcraft (2016)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Sword wounds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-21
Updated: 2016-07-21
Packaged: 2018-07-25 21:36:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7548031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crescent_gaia/pseuds/crescent_gaia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Small steps are better than none.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Small Steps

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt "lacerations / knife wounds" for a Corners bingo.

Khadgar closed his eyes as he rested his head against the stone wall behind him. He was exhausted, from being pulled in different directions, and he needed a moment of quiet to center. There was the Kirin Tor, with Jania Proudmoore being their voice, trying to make him take a more active role as a guardian, even though he felt it didn’t serve any kingdoms to have one powerful mage to call upon in times of trouble.

_”It shouldn’t be only me, Jania,” Khadgar argued. “We need all mages to be powerful, to be able to fight their own battles, because I’m only one person. On top of that, I’m human. I can die and then where will we all be?”_

_“You’re not about to die and you know it. You’re not made of glass and you are more capable of the task than you know,” Jania replied. “I’m not saying to make a decision now and I do agree with you that all mages need to be powerful, but in the end, we need a leader. You are going to be that leader one day and you should start accepting it.”_

He opened his eyes as he heard someone coming and stood when he saw it was Varian. He bowed respectfully and then remembered the time. “I forgot our practice, didn’t I?”

Varian nodded. “I thought uncle stopped you but he’s in a meeting to finalize plans before bringing it to mother and me.”

Khadgar smiled. Lothar didn’t approve of teaching the young king how to fight against a magical foe, even with seeing that Khadgar lowered his magical powers so that Varian was never at risk, but Lothar still didn’t approve. “Then let’s go while he’s distracted.”

Varian grinned and led the way to a small out of the way practice room that was seldom used by the other knights of the kingdom. Khadgar waited while Varian found his sword, one that the young king could wield easily, even though it was twice the size of him, and the mage knew Varian would grow into it. 

Khadgar put up a shield first, as he did against any foe, and waited for Varian to move to a fighting stance. As soon as he did, he sent a ball of ice, which Varian wisely ducked. Before, Varian would have tried to deflect it with the sword, which would have frozen and be useless. He moved back as Varian hit the frozen shield with the sword, cracking it, but the shield held. He sent arcane bolts this time, some which Varian ducked and some which he slashed through, before the young king put a good distance between them.

Varian rushed as fast as he could at the mage, using his sword to shatter the shield, and Khadgar brought up his arm to shield himself. Before the magic could form to protect him, Varian was able to get in a slash on the mage’s arm and then the right leg before he realized what he did. He backed off, eyes wide, and dropped his sword. “Khadgar?” he asked worriedly.

“I’m fine,” Khadgar said. He used his ice magic to seal the wounds, even though he knew that wouldn’t last for long, but it would be enough to get to a healer. “You did well, remembering that momentum would help after getting in a crack to the shield. What I didn’t do, which a real enemy would, was hit you with as much as I could once you got in close. Either with magic or my own fists. Yes, you need to be close to hit with your sword, but also use your head. Hit, move to their side or back, and attack again.”

Varian nodded. “Okay.”

Khadgar was about to say more when the door opened. “Put the blade away,” he said, watching Varian go to do so before turning to see who walked in. “Good afternoon, Lothar,” he said calmly.

Lothar raised an eyebrow and looked to Varian, who came over. “Your mother and your advisors are looking for you. We’ll talk later.”

“Yes uncle,” Varian said, leaving quickly.

“I should be going too,” Khadgar said. He looked amused as Lothar blocked the doorway. “I do have things to do, even though the court thinks I don’t do anything.”

“I spoke with Jania Proudmoore,” Lothar said, his arms crossing.

“Oh.” Khadgar sighed. “I’m sorry, I thought you wanted me to stay. Possibly see what more can be done with the three of us, at least from what the two of you have been offering. Did that change?” He internally bristled but the rational part of him argued that he should have expected it. People had been pushing him away from a young age, so it wouldn’t be the first time.

“The two of us wanting you to join us is never going to change and you need to stop bringing that up whenever I bring up that you might be better served being outside of Stormwind,” Lothar countered. “Garona would be saying the same as I am about to – you shouldn’t limit what you can do or what you can learn. Proudmoore is right about needing leaders and ones will be around for years to come. That’s you. That’s Varian. The simple fact that the two of you work well enough together that you trust each other enough for secret training lessons is proof enough.”

Khadgar took Lothar’s hand, holding tightly to it. “You’re going to be around for a long time too.”

“Maybe,” Lothar said. He was about to say more when he felt something hitting his hand. He looked down and saw the blood trickling down Khadgar’s arm. “And this is why I don’t like your practice sessions.”

Khadgar looked down and let go of Lothar’s hand, redoing the ice magic on his arm and leg. “It’s not that bad. I’ve heard pain is good as it means that you’re alive.”

“That’s in battle, not in the palace,” Lothar said. He pulled the mage into a hug. “You two can’t use practice swords?”

“They don’t break through the shield or we would,” Khadgar pointed out. “Do you have anything else to do today?”

“Just to be back by dinner time,” Lothar said. “I’ve got a meeting after.”

Khadgar grinned, using the portal magic to step them to a small village. They found it, while trying to figure out villages that needed help against the orcs, but the villagers weren’t against the orcs outright. Yes, they hated that the orcs killed their king, but until they were outright attacked and lost their homes, they were indifferent. That’s why the three chose this place to meet with Garona, when she could get away. “Go see if she’s here and I’ll go get healed up.” He let go of Lothar, moving through the market, looking at the different things there, and knocked on a door on an out of the way building. “Is the healer in?” he asked.

The assistant nodded and let Khadgar in. He made his way to the back, bowing his head to the dwarf healer who looked up at him. “Hello Khadgar. What do I owe the pleasure of your company?”

“A small bit of healing, Hollenne,” he replied, showing the wound on his arm. “Also one on the leg.”

“Come sit down,” she said, moving a stray piece of black hair back behind her ear even though the rest was done up in a long braid that went down her back. She got up and looked over the wound after he sat down and moved fabric to look at the one on his leg. “Clean cut, so you’re lucky, and while deep, there will be no scar. Were you attempting to be a warrior again?”

“Teaching someone how to fight against magic. He’s doing very well,” he replied.

“Your wounds are evidence of that, yes,” she said. She called on the Light, using her healing magic to close both wounds, and put a bit of life back into him. “You should eat, considering I can tell it’s been since yesterday that you did so.”

“I was busy, but I will,” he said. “I promise.”

She looked him over before nodding. “Alright. Give my best to Lord Lothar, hmm?”

“I will,” he said, attempting to give her some money but she waved it away. As he left, he handed it to the assistant, knowing she would take it, and he felt better for paying for his healing. He walked back to the inn, going in and up the stairs to the room they kept, knocking on the door and hearing he could come in. He smiled at hearing Garona’s voice but looked confused at only seeing her in the room. “Did he have to go back?”

“Getting food,” she replied.

“Ah,” he said, moving and sitting down next to her on the couch. He smiled as he was pulled into a hug and hugged her back. “How have you been?”

“Frustrated and stressed. I’m starting to think I should come back but I don’t know how yet,” she said and kissed his cheek. “I hear that you’re allowing yourself to be used as a pincushion.”

“Lothar worries too much,” he said and sighed. “Did he tell you the rest?”

“Yes,” she said. “I agree with both of you and think that it’s up to you to make the final decision.”

“I’m starting to like you more than him right now,” he said and grinned at hearing her laugh. He looked at her and softly kissed her, his heart echoing in his chest as she kissed him back, and broke it when the door opened. 

She pulled him back and kissed him, undoing his robes, and breaking the kiss when they needed to breathe. “I do want you, just as much as I want him, for a mate.”

Khadgar smiled, relaxing as he felt Lothar settle in behind him. “I don’t think I’m up for much more than this,” he admitted quietly.

“Small steps are better than none,” Lothar said.

“True,” Khadgar said, reaching up and kissing Lothar too. The three of them kept close together on the couch, happily together, feeling secure against the unknown future to come.


End file.
